ABOUT THIS UNIT

Rationale: Why teach about identity and community?

Why begin a sixth grade social studies course with an exploration of identity and com-
munity? The answer to this question may seem obvious. First, identity and community
are central themes in the minds of young adolescents. As your students begin a year in a
new school (or at least in a different classroom), many wonder about who they want to
be in this new space and what it means to be part of a group. The lives of early adoles-
cents are centered around peer groups and mutual relationships. The Facing History cur-
riculum has been developed to support and challenge students who are beginning to see
themselves as unique individuals with a desire to belong.

By beginning the year with themes that resonate with students’ moral and social develop-
ment—themes such as identity, membership, and belonging—teachers engage students
not only in studying themselves but also in studying peoples of the past. Facing History
teachers have found that students have a deeper understanding of particular historical
moments when these moments are connected to universal themes that resonate with stu-
dents’ lives. Questions such as “What does it mean to be a member of a community?”
and “How does our perspective shape the way we view others?” are as applicable to ana-
lyzing the social world of young adolescents as they are to understanding civilizations
throughout world history. The ancient Chinese, Greeks, and Mayans were concerned
about belonging to a family, tribe, or nation just as students today care about their mem-
bership in certain cliques or groups. When students create a class contract in Lesson 10,
they participate in a process that preoccupied emerging civilizations thousands of years
ago—the process of establishing norms and laws.

Encouraging students to think critically about issues of identity and community is not
only an effective way to engage them in the study of world history; it also provides a way
to build a class culture that supports learning. The activities in this unit have been devel-
oped to promote a sense of community because students are best able to share ideas, take
risks, and help each other when they feel a sense of belonging and safety in the classroom.
The first several lessons provide meaningful ways for students to introduce themselves to
their peers. The process of learning about their classmates can break down stereotypes
and help build relationships. For example, students who may have assumed they did not
have anything in common with their peers may learn that they share an interest in the
same music or that they have been through a similar experience. The second half of the
unit focuses on what it means to be part of a community. Through discussing various
examples of inclusion and exclusion, students develop an understanding of belonging that
they can apply to their own relationships within the classroom.

For more than thirty years, Facing History has supported teachers in developing a
respectful classroom climate where students feel comfortable sharing ideas and taking
risks. It is through open dialogue and thoughtful engagement with peers that students
develop a sense of what it means to participate in a democratic society. In this way, the
lessons in this unit not only support their development as students of social studies but
also support their growth as citizens and community members.

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Structure: How to use this curriculum
The 10 lessons in this unit are divided into 2 sections: the Introduction and the Lesson
Plan.

The Introduction includes the following sections:

• Overview: This section provides a rationale and description of the lesson and explains
how the lesson content connects to the study of world history.
Learning goals: The activities and suggested assignments have been designed to help
students master specific learning goals. The lessons also promote students’ learning in
other areas such as reading, oral expression, and critical thinking.
• Materials: Following each lesson, we have included materials needed to implement the
lessons, such as graphic organizers, texts, or images. Other suggested materials, such as
Dr. Seuss’s story “The Sneetches,” can be borrowed from Facing History’s library. The
short book The Bear That Wasn’t, by Frank Tashlin, is the central text of Lesson 3.
Classroom sets of this book have been distributed to all schools.

The Lesson Plan includes five sections:

• Warm-up: The warm-up activity prepares students to access the material in the lesson
by activating prior knowledge, introducing an important vocabulary word, or provid-
ing an opportunity for personal connection to the themes in the lesson.
• Main activity: The main activity is typically built around a specific text or hands-on
project. It introduces students to new concepts and ideas and provides a structure for
students to work with this material so they can make it their own.
• Follow-through: To deepen students’ understanding and encourage retention of the
material, the follow-through activity often requires students to apply the material
explored in the main activity to a new situation. Students might be asked to connect
the material to their own lives, synthesize concepts from different lessons, or develop
their own opinions about the content of the lesson.
• Homework: Suggested assignments can be used to evaluate learning goals or prepare
students for the next lesson.
• Curriculum connections: In the body of each lesson, we have included curriculum
connections—ideas about how you can use the lesson’s content or teaching strategy
throughout the school year to help students better understand world history.

These lessons have been designed to be implemented in a 50-minute class period.

Depending on your own classroom context (e.g., how many students you have, the skill
level of your students, and your students’ interests) lessons may take more or less time.
If you are concerned about running out of time, you can shorten the warm-up activity
or assign the follow-through activity for homework. This unit could easily engage stu-
dents for several weeks if you implement the optional extension activities included in
most lessons.

Journals
We strongly recommend that students keep a journal during this unit. The journal is a
place where students can answer questions during class and at home. Students can also
keep a list of important terms in their journals. By keeping their ideas in one place, stu-
dents are better able to make connections between lessons and take stock of how their
own understanding has developed.

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